


Different

by 1997_MusicLover



Category: B.A.P
Genre: Alternate Universe, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Warlock - Freeform, Warlock/Familiar, fmailiar, warlock/familiar au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 02:37:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10755000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1997_MusicLover/pseuds/1997_MusicLover
Summary: Daehyun and Yongguk aren’t like most warlocks/familiar pairs; Daehyun isn’t like most warlocks. It serves to make things a little awkward and difficult, especially when Daehyun tries not show Yongguk his true emotions, but eventually he breaks.





	Different

For Daehyun, days like today were more normal than he’d care to admit. He forgets sometimes, how little he tells his best friends and his familiar about what it’s like for him. He’s never wanted to burden them with his troubles, especially Yongguk. As his warlock, Daehyun tries so hard to come off as tough and strong like most warlocks. So, when Yongguk surprises him at work, Daehyun is both elated to see him and scared of what his coworkers might say to shatter the fantasy he’d built up about himself to Yongguk.

“Daehyun.” Yongguk’s deep voice brings him out of his mindless tasks.

Lifting his head from his little desk, Daehyun smiles. “Yongguk, good to see you. What’s up?”

“Himchan says you’ve been skimping out on lunches.” Yongguk explains, holding up a bag of fast food. “Thought I’d bring the food to you and we could have lunch.”

Before Daehyun can do anything but smile a loud, annoyingly nasally voice breaks into the conversation.

“Well hello new face, you’re really handsome.” The voice belongs to the man who works in the cubicle just beside Daehyun’s and the man loves to torture him.

“Min,” Daehyun tries to keep his voice even and not shaky, “this is my friend Bang Yongguk.”

“Ah, you never let me meet your friends when they come by.” Min sports a sickeningly sly grin. “Guess I had good timing today.”

Yongguk stands there for a minute, looking between the two of them with a raised brow. “Um, I’m just here to take Daehyun to lunch.”

“I hope not like a date.” Both Daehyun and Yongguk blush at that. “I wouldn’t think anyone would date this dork, let alone be his familiar.”

Daehyun closes his eyes and cringes internally. _Well, there goes that lie that the work place is comfortable and nice._

“What are you,” Min focuses on Yongguk, pretending Daehyun isn’t there, “warlock, human, or familiar?”

“Familiar.” Yongguk lets out slowly, eyes turning on Daehyun.

“Oh, same here!” Min grins brightly, stepping closer to Yongguk, who steps back instantly. “My warlock is really nice and kind, how’s yours? Couldn’t be any worse than the unlikely familiar that has to deal with him.”

“Min,” Daehyun’s voice, though meek, takes on a warning tone as he glares at him, “don’t drag my friend into this.”

Min scoffs. “I’m sure he already knows just how terrible a warlock you are. I still say – along with most of us here – that he’s just a joke and should be a familiar. Something small and useless. We’ve been saying that since he started working here.”

As Min begins to laugh, Daehyun sighs. Rubbing his forehead, he stands up and grabs his coat.

“Thanks again Min for that confidence boast. Me and my friend are going to lunch now. I’ll see you in an hour.” Daehyun slips past Min into the hallway, trying to not touch or accidently push him. He doesn’t want to give Min a reason to torture him more.

A fierce protectiveness washes over Yongguk as he senses the fear and nervousness rolling off Daehyun. Before Daehyun can move past him, Yongguk shoots his arm out and grabs Daehyun around the waist.

“For your information _Min,_ ” the last word seethes out through Yongguk’s teeth as he glares at the man, “Daehyun _is_ my warlock and I wouldn’t change that. Now, stop antagonizing him. Familiars like you annoy me. Come on Dae.”

Daehyun is too stunned to do anything but let Yongguk lead him to the elevator, leaving Min standing there with wide eyes. Yongguk’s arm stays around his waist as they step in the elevator and because, while they are warlock and familiar, they’ve never been physically close or even romantically close like most are, it feels weird. A nice warmth settles in Daehyun’s stomach, but he knows he’s stiff standing next to Yongguk.

It doesn’t help that Yongguk is radiating a dark energy, not one that makes Daehyun scared for himself but more for anyone around them. It’s no secret that big cat familiars like Yongguk can have tempers: on his good days Yongguk’s more like Tigger, but at times like these he’s more like the real, wild tigers.

They make it out of the elevator and through the main lobby before Yongguk let’s go of his waist and Daehyun takes a deep, quiet breath.

Neither speak as they head over to the café across the street. They order drinks before sitting at a table in the corner. Yongguk places the fast food bag on the table, taking out the food and placing it in front of Daehyun.

“Thank you.” Daehyun finally gets out, keeping his head down. “For the food and the . . . what you did at the office.”

“Does that happen often?” Yongguk keeps his eyes on Daehyun as he holds his drink, taking a slow sip.

“No.” The lie slips through easily.

“Daehyun, I can always tell when your nervous and lying and right now you reek.”

Sometimes, Daehyun curses Yongguk’s special skill to scent out emotions. Heaving a sigh, he slumps in his seat. “Yeah, okay it happens often but I’ve been working there long enough to be used to it. You didn’t need to do that.”

“I did.” Yongguk states matter-of-factly. “There’s not enough duct tape in the world to keep me from speaking up when I need to.”

“But Yongguk,” Daehyun picks at the fries in front of him, “you didn’t have to do that.”

Yongguk finally lets out a sigh, setting his drink down and looking at his own food “You’re my warlock, of course I had to.”

“I’m used to that kind of ridicule though, and as my familiar it isn’t your place to stand up for me.” Daehyun begins to ramble, that nervous energy that always takes over when him and Yongguk talk in any serious fashion crashing over him now like an ocean wave. “I should be standing up for you, but you really don’t need anyone to stand up for you. You’re independent on your own without me. Which is nice, having a familiar I don’t need to worry about is nice. You can take care of yourself just fine. Plus, Himchan looks after us both. On top of all that awkward mess, we aren’t even a couple like most pairs which makes us even weirder, but that leads me back to you being independent and me being an awkward, stupid excuse for a warlock. Honestly, when looking at us, you should be the warlock and I should be a whinny, useless familiar. I mean, we’re an awkward pair as it is and you function perfectly fine without a warlock. I think the universe got us flipped.”

As Daehyun stops to take a shaky breath, blinking back tears – he swore never to cry in front of his familiar – he feels Yongguk’s hand lay over his.

“Daehyun, you worry too much.” It’s a reassurance he’s heard from Yongguk before, many times.

“I know, sorry, let’s drop it?” Daehyun quickly blinks his eyes, raises his head, and smiles at Yongguk.

“Daehyun, I don’t think we should sweep that under the rug.” Yongguk’s brows furrow. “Seriously, is your work place that hostile?”

“It’s really not.” A nervous laugh bubbles up from Daehyun as he dives into his food. “I’m good, now eat. Himchan would kill me if he found out I didn’t make you eat.”

Yongguk watches him for a minute longer before moving his attention to his food.

Holding in a sigh, Daehyun knows they really should talk about everything: he’s just not ready. Everything with Yongguk since they met has been awkward and not as serious as it should be. Daehyun has confided in Youngjae about something’s, but he still worries about being the only warlock in their friend group who sucks at being a warlock. Youngjae and Himchan put him to shame with how great they are and Daehyun hates that they’re so in love with their familiars.

It’s not even the fact that he doesn’t like Yongguk like that – he might really _really_ like Yongguk. What it is, is that they’re just so awkward and while he’s close to Yongguk he doesn’t feel like Yongguk wants to get any closer. Three years of being his familiar and all Daehyun gets from him is random flares of protectiveness and then nothing.

Lunch ends smoothly with Daehyun heading back to the office and Yongguk heading back to his studio. He does ask Daehyun one more time if he’ll be okay and once again, Daehyun lies.

Once back at the office, the air turns stiff and electric. Carefully, Daehyun steps off the elevator and scurries to his desk. He can feel eyes on him and something dark looming on the horizon.

Nothing happens for the next hour. Then Min pops over his desk.

“You should let him go.”

Daehyun jerks back, knee smacking into his desk. “Ow, what now?”

“You’re really cool familiar.” Min explains, rolling his eyes. “He deserves a warlock he doesn’t have to look after.”

“He doesn’t look after me.” Daehyun states, voice meek once again.

“I’m sure you think that. He probably worries about you and you’re just stupid enough to not notice.”

“Min,” Daehyun’s voice begins to shake, “it’s really none of yours or anyone’s business.”

“I’m sure you’re right, but! As the lowest person on this floor in status, that means we all get to know everything about your life and use it against you.”

“I hate this place.” Daehyun mutters under his breath, fists clenching over his keyboard.

“So, seriously, let the guy go so he can live his life. No familiar in their right mind would willingly stick with you, I mean even here your work is subpar.”

_That’s cause you all alter it before I turn it in and the boss loves you so I can’t speak up._

“Most the reason you’re here is cause the boss likes us to have a punching bag.”

“Min.”

“No, shush, you missed out on our usual lunch talks –”

“They’re not really talks.”

“Are you seriously talking back right now? Five years of this and now you talk back?”

It’s at that moment that something snaps in Daehyun. The tense moment with Yongguk earlier coupled with the building emotions he never expresses, seem to be finally taking its toll. Rage sparks in him and actual sparks fly from his fingertips as he turns to glare at Min.

“Yes, yes I am. I’ve finally had enough of your shit.” Daehyun’s voice raises in volume. “I’m tired of being kicked around just because I’m not the ideal warlock. Not every warlock has to be a selfish, cocky asshole like everyone you know. I care enough about my familiar to not torture him with the demons in my head. And it’s not my fault my familiar doesn’t love me like most do, that’s life. Stop treating me like shit!”

A fire erupts from Daehyun’s hands and ignites a stack of papers on his desk and Min’s shirt sleeve. Min screams as he stumbles backwards, swatting at the fire on his arm as he falls backwards. Daehyun’s eyes widen: his magic is something he’s never had a handle on.

“Jung Daehyun!” Their bosses roar silences the whole floor. There’s nothing more terrifying then having a lion familiar as your boss. “That is the last straw! You are out of here!”

“B-but sir – I didn’t mean to – it was an accident, I swear!” Daehyun tries to defend, raising his hands, but Min flinches backwards and his boss storms over.

Before he can register anything, his boss lands a hard slap across his face. “I want you out of here in the next minute or it’ll be worse for you than they’ve ever made it.”

In a dazed haze, Daehyun reaches up to touch his stinging cheek slowly registering what just happened. He’s been threatened with being hit before, but no one in the office has ever raised a hand at him until now.

“Out!” The bellowing voice makes Daehyun flinch and shiver.

Grabbing his wallet and phone, he makes a mad dash for the stairwell. He runs down the six flights of stairs at top speed and bursts through the lobby. He manages to get back home, he’s not sure how, but he runs all the way to his apartment and collapses on the couch. His cheek is red and stings, and his brain is scattered.

He’s not sure how long he stays there, just sitting on the couch with his brain running like crazy trying to think of a good excuse to tell Yongguk why he got fired. All he knows is it’s long enough for Yongguk to come home and find him like that.

It’s Yongguk’s soft, deep timber that breaks him from his trance. “Daehyun? What . . . did someone hit you?”

Daehyun looks up to Yongguk with his mouth open, an excuse on the tip of his tongue but all he can do is snap his mouth shut as a sob works its way up his throat. Covering his mouth with his hand, Daehyun drops his head as he begins to cry.

Yongguk moves immediately, sitting next to Daehyun and pulling him into his arms. “Hey, talk to me please, you never tell me what’s wrong and I think it’s reached its peak. I never wanted to pressure you, but it’s time.”

Daehyun lets out another chocked sob as his hand begins to shake. It takes him a few minutes to stop crying enough to respond, the combination of everything at work with Yongguk actually showing affection to him without being prompted by one of their other four friends has his brain short circuiting. When he collects his thoughts, he manages to push out, quietly, “I lied. I’m sorry I lied about work. I didn’t want to burden you with something that’s been going on since before you were my familiar.”

“As your familiar, your burdens are mine.” Yongguk says with an even voice that makes Daehyun mad.

Shoving back from Yongguk, he furiously wipes his eyes. “It’s not the same for us, the usual rules don’t apply because we aren’t _dating_. In everyone else’s eyes, I’m a crappy warlock because we aren’t dating and you do more taking care of me than I do of you. Hell, I just got fired so now I can’t help pay rent.”

“It’s still the same though.” Yongguk tries to stress, but it just makes Daehyun more frustrated.

Standing up with a groan Daehyun begins to pace. “It’s not, we still have the bond, but we aren’t dating so my problems shouldn’t be yours. Even if you consider me your best friend – though I know Himchan has that title – it doesn’t mean I have to push all my burdens on you. We’re not the same as Himchan and Jongup or Youngjae and Junhong.”

“Do you want us to date?” Yongguk finally pipes up, voice still eerily calm. “If you do you’ve never made it known.”

Daehyun stops pacing, looking at Yongguk. “Honestly? I didn’t think a guy like you would want to date a guy like me. I’m a sad excuse for a warlock and the world has made that damn clear today. I almost set the office on fire just because I lost my temper.” Daehyun takes a breath and closes his eyes. “But ya know, I’m fine with you finding and dating someone else. I’m not going to stop you from dating whoever you want, I don’t want to be a possessive overbearing warlock who makes you hate me.”

A laugh cause him to jerk back, eyes widening.

Yongguk doesn’t laugh often, and when he does it’s mostly Himchan and Junhong that can make him. He laughs for a minute before giving a happy sigh, a gummy smile on his face.

“You worry me so much.”

“I don’t mean to!” Daehyun blurts out quickly, making Yongguk chuckle.

“Sit.”

Slowly, Daehyun moves back to the couch and sits on the edge next to Yongguk.

“We’ve been a pair for three years. We’re both so awkward it was painful at first for everyone around us, but I’d like to think we’ve grown closer. We’re still growing and we’re young so it’s okay.” Yongguk reaches over and gently rubs Daehyun’s still red cheek. “We are like other warlocks and familiars, it’s just taking us a bit longer than the rest to get there.”

Daehyun’s burrows furrow as he tilts his head a little. “How are we like them?”

“Well,” Yongguk smiles, dropping his hand, “I think I can safety say over the last year I’ve grown fonder of you. I’ll admit I didn’t like you too much at first, but spending three years with you means I’ve gotten to see a lot of the you, you try not to show. You’re very emotional.”

“That’s not a good thing though.”

Yongguk raises his hand to silence him. “It is, it’s one of the things I’m beginning to love about you.”

Daehyun’s brain stutters to a halt. He blinks for a few, unfocused seconds before locking eyes with Yongguk. “Love?”

Yongguk nods.

“No,” Daehyun shakes his head, leaning back, “no that can’t be. Are you sure?”

Yongguk actually laughs again. “I think I had the same response as you when I started feeling it. Trust me, I’ve gotten more lectures from Himchan in the past year than I’d ever wish to in my lifetime: I’m sure.”

It’s silent for a moment as Daehyun just stares at him. It begins to make Yongguk a little nervous.

“I think I’m falling in love with you, that’s not bad . . . right?”

“No!” Daehyun jerks forward and then jumps right back. “No, no that’s not a bad thing. I’ve been admiring you since even before you became my familiar so it’s just . . . it’s just a lot to take in.”

Yongguk raises an eyebrow, chuckling. “Really now? That long.”

A bright blush takes over Daehyun’s face. “Yeah, um,” he begins to nervously play with his hands as he looks down, “Youngjae would take me to your work to visit Himchan and I’d seen you there quiet often. Plus, I’d listen to some of your raps on Soundcloud before.”

“How am I just finding out about this now?” Yongguk asks with surprise.

Daehyun lets out a light laugh. “Himchan, it turns out, is pretty good about keeping secrets.”

“Shocker.” Yongguk smiles brightly. “So, can I assume that means you have some romantic feelings for me?”

“Oh, god yes.” Daehyun quickly slaps his hand over his mouth at his outburst, then immediately flinches and hisses in pain from his still sore cheek.

Yongguk reacts quickly, sitting up straighter to look at him. “Alright, now not to get sidetracked, but I would really like to know who did that to you.”

Sighing, Daehyun rubs his cheek. “It was my boss – uh, ex-boss now. When I blew up at Min, I accidently lit the papers on fire as well as Min’s arm. When I tried to explain, and raised my hands, well he did this.”

Biting his tongue, Yongguk reaches out to gently rub Daehyun’s sore cheek. “I’m half tempted to go back in there and take him down.”

“He’s a lion.”

“And I’m a tiger; I could take him.”

Daehyun can only roll his eyes at that.

The next thing Yongguk does shocks him and all he can do is sit still with his mouth open slightly as Yongguk leans forward, placing a soft kiss on his red cheek. “If anyone lays a hand on you, I swear I’ll rip them apart.”

Daehyun swallows past the tight, lump in his throat as his whole face turns bright red.

Yongguk moves to kiss Daehyun’s forehead next, before leaning back and taking one of Daehyun’s hands in his. He stares at their hands with a smile, lacing their fingers together.

“So, we are a little different for sure. I’ll admit, I agree our dynamics would usually be flipped, but trust me when I say this: I don’t want any other warlock. I love that you’re my warlock and I love you.” Yongguk smiles as the blush grows and Daehyun gives his own shy smile. “We’re moving slower than most do, but we’re getting there.”

Daehyun nods his head, slowly taking in all the new information.

It’s quiet in their living room for a few minutes. Daehyun spends those few minutes letting his brain process everything. Once everything has settled in his brain he clears his throat.

He pauses for another minute before finally speaking. “Okay, so today I got fired and slapped, but on the bright side we just confessed our feelings to each other . . . I think today ends on a good note.”

“I have to agree. I still want to strangle your boss.” That protective energy comes back, less strong but still very present.

“Don’t,” Daehyun is smiling, “he’s not really that worth it. I’ll look for a new job starting tomorrow.”

“No.”

“No? So, you want to pay our rent all by yourself?”

“Well, no,” Yongguk frowns thinking about the money, but then shakes his head, “but you can take a week to rest and get your head together before searching for a new job – preferably one you actually enjoy – and during that week . . . let me take you on a date.”

Daehyun can’t hide the smile that begins to grow on his face. “A date? I’d love that.”

“Good.”

“Does this make us a couple now?”

“Pretty much yeah, just taking it slowly.” Yongguk grins, squeezing Daehyun’s hand. “Now, how about dinner? I think we have food in the fridge. Himchan was here today, we probably do.”

Together they stand from the couch, hands still locked, and head into the kitchen to look for food.

A warmth blossoms in Daehyun’s chest as he watches Yongguk cook. It may have taken him three years to finally open up to him – and he hates how it came up – but, he’s happy to finally be having a romantic connection with Yongguk. It might always be awkward for them at some points and the progress may still be slow rolling, but Daehyun couldn’t be happier with the outcomes and even Yongguk can’t stop smiling as he steals glances at Daehyun.

They aren’t like most warlock familiar pairs; they’re unique and different, and it makes them special.


End file.
